Michigan Senate unveils own version of Medicaid expansion

The state Senate is ready to move forward with its own version of a bill to expand Medicaid in Michigan. A legislative work group today unveiled a plan that keeps the same basic structure of a bill that passed the state House last month.

Changes include adding more incentives for healthy lifestyles and requiring more state reports on the Medicaid program.

Senator Roger Kahn chaired the work group that drafted the proposal. He says he’s confident it will pass both the Senate and the House.

“Do we have differences with the House? Yeah, we have some differences. They aren’t very significant. During the remaining part of the process here, those differences will be addressed and worked out,” he says.

Last month, the Senate refused to vote on the House version of the bill before lawmakers left on their summer recess.

Officials in Governor Rick Snyder’s administration have already embraced the new version of the bill. They’re urging lawmakers to pass it quickly so they can start adding people to the Medicaid rolls in January.